Chapter 6:

The Archivist’s Life, Part II

The Young Archivist's Records


The Kexteran life is surprisingly idyllic.

Perhaps it was due to their long lifespan, or perhaps their material wealth, or maybe their natural disposition, most Kexterans lived a pampered life in seclusion. In their large estates — sections of the Bibliotheca — they spent their lives to on whatever interested them, let it be a hobby, a decadent lifestyle, or meaningless idling, few Kexterans were ever a part of the workforce.

Indeed, with the access to practically unlimited energy and the power to synthesise most substance in the universe, coupled with advanced VR technology, most Kexterans never had to work, their material and mental desires attended to by armies of drones and their working compatriots.

People, however, was not something the Kexterans held in abundance.

Once home to tens of billions, nay, hundreds of billions of people, the Bibliotheca was then home to barely a million individuals. Among them, only about 1% ever took up the mantle of public service —that is, to become an Archivist. The Archivists, contrary the name, do not just look over Kextera’s extensive technological archives; we also took care of governance, of city maintenance, of the conservation of nature, and of the preservation of technology.

Or perhaps, by taking care of the Kexteran civilisation, we were taking care of the archives.

But even with decay-resistant buildings and armies of drones, there were not enough Kexterans to keep the civilisation afloat. The solution to that was a solution as old as time itself: immigration; or, in my case as well as many others, abduction.

On the day I built the Paddington statue, the true reason for my abduction still eluded me.

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Moments after the Paddington statue was erected, a figure in an elegant red-and-white coat descended before my eyes, his wings still glowing from using the anti-gravity device. Without a word, the tall owl-man scanned his surroundings and began to inspect my work. Soon, he approached me, his serious expression betrayed by a subtle grin.

“Not bad. Your taste in art is questionable as always,” he glanced at the statue of the teddy bear, “But the material transformation was done without a hitch. The laminates are layered correctly so the bridge has enough strength. The surface textures are replicated correctly. You have really improved in a short time.”

“Thanks, Archon Burgundy. It was all thanks to your guidance.”

“Still, you have a lot to learn. Your previous understanding of inferior nano-cermets might help you in your city construction duties, but as an Archivist, you will be involved in many other duties as the time goes on. You should broaden your horizons while you are still young.”

“Yes, sir.”

A chime suddenly rang in my head, and then a certain comedian’s voice came out of a floating, light green augmented reality window.

“Again… this guy just had to put up some pretentious air. Connie, I feel sorry for you. He was just praising you minutes ago, and now he’s like this.” The comedian’s voice spoke in my head.

…I figured. This strict old bird can be a tsundere at times.

“Emerald! Using your eavesdropping was bad enough in itself, remotely interfering our conversation by hacking the city’s broadcast system? Have you got no shame?” Archon Burgundy was not amused.

“I don’t feel any shame. Technically, it’s not a hack. I have the appropriate privileges, and it’s not like I broke the conventions.”

For a moment, Archon Burgundy’s metaphorical veins popped on his face; but his rage soon got overshadowed by an apparent dejection. “You never change, don’t you.”

“Look at who’s saying that, Reddie.” Archon Emerald replied. “You were always a serious kid, and ever since you became an Archon it has gotten so much worse. If you even have a tenth of your tutor’s free spirit…”

“Oh don’t you dare-” Archon Burgundy’s imaginary veins popped again.

Another chime ringed in my head, and another augmented reality window popped up. I picked up the call.

“Hi Connie, how are you doing?” It was an anime girl’s voice.

“Not bad, Reina. You?” I answered.

“I am good too! I am just taking a rest at a café. Want to join me?”

A café…? That was not a common place on the Bibliotheca. Food could be synthesised using Synthesiser machines, which could be found in almost every room. Dedicated dining rooms exist, but they look much more like a school canteen than a café. Also…

I looked at my nanomachine-infused suit. On the thin, silk-like surface, a purple pattern flashed subtly: the proof that the suit was receiving energy from the city’s power matrix. As long as the nano-suit is powered, one could never die of starvation, for the basic need for food had been replaced by the need for electricity the moment one accepts Kexteran cybernetics.

So the “café” must be that

I glanced at the tall owl-man and the floating green window; looking at their friendly exchanges, I made a decision.

“Sure, Reina. I will be there momentarily.”

“Wonderful! I will drop you the coordinates. What about Reddie? ”

“Unfortunately, he has to deal with some important matters of state. He will be late.”

As those words came out of my mouth, light purple particles began to surround me. At my command, they formed a gentle vortex around my feet, and my body began to float above the ground. The anti-gravity device had been activated.

“…” I glanced at the green window and the owl-man again.

The two Archons, the representatives of the highest authorities of the land, of the most exalted offices and of unparalleled wisdom, were still exchanging their knowledge about mothers, eggs, manure, toasters, and electrocution. Once the two began exchanging insults, it would take a while to stop.

The particles, meanwhile, had been glowing brighter than ever; the anti-gravity device had been fully adjusted and it was ready to commence high-speed flight.

“Time to break the speed limits again.” I said sarcastically, knowing full well that no such laws existed on the Bibliotheca.

I leapt into the air.

Cas_Cade
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Koyomi
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